American rapper Macklemore has been removed from Ed Sheeran’s remaining US tour after his pro-Palestine speech at a New Jersey concert.
During his performances on September 4 and 5, the rapper addressed the crowd while wearing a keffiyeh and called for “Free Palestine”.
The rapper had opened for Sheeran at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, earlier this month, where he performed his protest song Hind’s Hall, showed footage from Gaza, and told the crowd: “Free Palestine.”
In his post, Macklemore said Sheeran, whom he described as a friend of 13 years, told him that Robert Kraft, whose company owns Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, did not want him to appear at the venue.
“Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium,” Macklemore wrote. He further alleged that Kraft had rallied other stadium owners, who issued an ultimatum that would prevent Sheeran’s tour from playing at their venues if Macklemore remained on the bill.
Messina Touring Group, the promoter of the US leg of Sheeran’s tour, confirmed that Macklemore would no longer perform at the remaining support dates.
“As the concert promoter for Ed Sheeran’s US Loop Tour, we have been notified by venues on the upcoming US tour dates that they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans,” the promoter said in a statement. “After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates.”
Macklemore had been scheduled to perform at eight of Sheeran’s final 10 US concerts, beginning in Philadelphia on September 19.
Kraft said the decision to bar Macklemore from performing at Gillette Stadium was based on the rapper’s recent actions, material used during his New Jersey performances and what he described as a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.
“This decision is not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf,” Kraft said. “But that advocacy should not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure the responsibility of Hamas.”
Macklemore rejected the suggestion that his support for Palestinians was antisemitic, writing that criticism of Israel, opposition to Zionism and saying “Free Palestine” should not be equated with hatred of Jewish people.
He also said he did not want the dispute to end his relationship with Sheeran.
“I hope this isn’t the end of my relationship with Ed,” he wrote. “Thirteen years of friendship doesn’t disappear because of one painful disagreement.”
Sheeran has not publicly commented on Macklemore’s removal from the tour.
Source: Khaleej Times